Wikipedia

2021 Seattle City Council 3rd district recall election

The 2021 Seattle City Council 3rd district recall election was held on December 7, 2021. Kshama Sawant, a member of the Seattle City Council from the 3rd district, defeated an attempt to recall her. This was the first recall election held in Seattle since the one held against Mayor Wesley C. Uhlman in 1975, and the first for a city councilor in the city's history.

2021 Seattle City Council 3rd district recall election
← 2019 December 7, 2021 2023 →
Turnout52.84%
Results
Choice
 Votes %
Yes 20,346 49.62%
No 20,656 50.38%
Valid votes 41,002 99.92%
Invalid or blank votes 31 0.08%
Total votes 41,033 100.00%
Registered voters/turnout 77,652 52.84%
Precinct results
No:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%      90–100%
Yes:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%      90–100%
City Councilor before election

Kshama Sawant
Socialist Alternative

City Councilor after election

Kshama Sawant
Socialist Alternative

Ernie Lou filed a complaint against Sawant on August 18, 2020, to the King County Elections Office to start the recall campaign against her. The complaint against Sawant included allegations that she violated the law through the use of city resources for the promotion of a ballot initiative, the delegation of employment decisions to Socialist Alternative, and encouraging the creation of the Capitol Hill Occupied Protest.

Sawant filed a lawsuit against the recall attempt, but the Judge Jim Rogers certified four of the six complaints, and the Washington Supreme Court certified three of those four on appeal. Sawant and her supporters attempted to have the recall held in November by collecting recall signatures themselves. The recall campaign submitted its signatures and were certified on September 30, 2021. The recall lost with 20,656 voting against and 20,346 voting in favor.

Background

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An attempt was made to conduct a recall election against Richard Conlin, a member of the Seattle City Council from the 2nd position, in 2011. The recall campaign alleged that Conlin had violated the law to advance the construction of the State Route 99 tunnel when he signed a draft environmental statement, colluded with Pete Holmes, the Seattle City Attorney, to bring a lawsuit to block a referendum on the tunnel, and by him delaying a referendum to prohibit city streets from being used to construct the tunnel. Judge Carol Schapira ruled that there was not enough evidence to prove that Conlin had violated the law although she stated that he had done so for political reasons.[1]

Kshama Sawant, a member of Socialist Alternative, defeated Conlin in the 2013 election becoming the first socialist elected in Seattle since Anna Louise Strong.[2][3][4] During the campaign she had raised and spent $161,823.10 against Conlin who had raised and spent $241,986.34.[5][6] Sawant defeated Pamela Banks in the 2015 election after raising and spending $480,258.24 against Banks who had raised and spent $388,544.75.[7][8][9] She defeated Egan Orion in the 2019 election after raising and spending $587,141.43 against Orion who had raised and spent $403,881.92.[10][11][12]

Campaign

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Campaign logo of Kshama Solidarity
 
Campaign logo of Recall Kshama Sawant

A complaint by Ernie Lou requesting for the King County Elections Office to begin an effort to recall Sawant was made on August 18, 2020. Lou alleged that Sawant had violated the law through the misuse of city resources and her authority by opening Seattle City Hall to protesters.[13] The recall campaign also alleged that Sawant had broken the law by using city resources to promote a ballot initiative, delegated employment decisions to Socialist Alternative, and encouraged the creation of the Capitol Hill Occupied Protest.[14] Orion, who had run against Sawant in 2019, gave the recall campaign a donor list containing the names of around 2,500 people.[15] Henry Bridger II was the campaign manager of the recall campaign.[16]

Sawant filed a lawsuit against the recall effort and the Seattle city council voted seven to one in favor of funding Sawant's legal defense while the recall campaign was represented by John McKay, a former United States Attorney during the presidency of George W. Bush. However, Judge Jim Rogers certified four of the six complaints made by the recall campaign. She appealed the decision to the Washington Supreme Court, but the court ruled unanimously in favor of the recall campaign, but ruled that one of the four complaints certified by Rogers was not legal or factual.[17][18][19]

The recall campaign started the process in April 2021 in which they were given 180 days to collect 10,739 signatures for the recall.[20] Supporters of Sawant started collecting signatures in support of a recall on July 9, in order to have the election held in November with more turnout rather than in a special election and their signatures were submitted later in July. Sawant stated that the recall campaign knew "that Black people, working class people and young people typically vote in dramatically lower numbers in special elections".[21][22] The recall campaign accused Sawant of attempting to suppress the will of voters through her collection of recall signatures and filed a complaint against her to King County Elections.[23] During the campaign the Kshama Solidarity Campaign attempted to register 2,000 voters.[24]

A Better Seattle, a political action committee (PAC) that supported the recall, was formed with Phillip Lloyd as its treasurer. Lloyd had served as the treasurer for PACs which had supported Bruce Harrell and Ann Davison.[25] The Washington State Public Disclosure Commission later removed the maximum $1,000 contribution limit for A Better Seattle.[26] The average donation to A Better Seattle was over $750, to Recall Sawant was $149.46, and to the Kshama Solidarity Fund was $88.89. The majority of donations to A Better Seattle were the maximum allowed while 4.4% of the donations to Recall Sawant and around 2% of the donations to the Kshama Solidarity Fund were the maximum allowed.[27]

The recall campaign submitted 16,234 signatures in September. Over 11,000 of the signatures were certified on September 30, and a recall was ordered to be held on December 7.[28][29][30] This was the first recall election held in Seattle since the one held against Mayor Wesley C. Uhlman in 1975.[31] This was the first recall election for a city councilor in Seattle's history.[16] King County Elections sent mail-in ballots to over 76,000 voters on November 17.[32]

The recall attempt lost with 20,656 voting against, worth 50.38%, and 20,346 voting in favor, worth 49.62%.[33] If the recall was successful, a replacement for Sawant would have been selected by the Seattle City Council within twenty days to serve until the 2022 election.[28][16] The turnout in the recall election was similar to the turnout in the regular election.[34]

Campaign finance

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Candidate Campaign committee
Raised Spent COH Loans and Debts Balance
A Better Seattle[35] $151,825.00 $6,104.30 $145,720.70 $157,520.00 -$11,799.30
Kshama Solidarity Campaign[36] $941,477.68 $917,352.70 $24,124.98 $20,743.33 $3,381.65
Recall Sawant[37] $782,171.73 $734,451.67 $47,720.06 $35,681.13 $12,038.93

Endorsements

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No vote endorsements
State officials
Local officials
Individuals
Political parties
Organizations
Yes vote endorsements
Local officials
Newspapers

Results

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2021 Seattle City Council 3rd district recall election[33]
Choice Votes %
No on recall 20,656 50.38
Yes on recall 20,346 49.62
Blank and invalid votes 31 –
Total votes 41,033 100
Registered voters and turnout 77,652 52.84%

References

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  1. ^ "Judge throws out petition to recall Seattle council president". The Seattle Times. July 22, 2011. Archived from the original on June 21, 2021. Retrieved June 21, 2021.
  2. ^ "A Rare Elected Voice for Socialism Pledges to Be Heard in Seattle". The New York Times. December 28, 2013. Archived from the original on June 21, 2021. Retrieved June 21, 2021.
  3. ^ "Socialist Alternative Elects Seattle City Council Member". Ballot Access News. December 1, 2013. Archived from the original on June 21, 2021. Retrieved June 21, 2021.
  4. ^ "Seattle Socialists Have a History of Sputtering Out. Can Kshama Sawant Beat That Fate?". The Stranger. October 16, 2019. Archived from the original on June 21, 2021. Retrieved June 21, 2021.
  5. ^ "Kshama Sawant campaign finance 2013". Seattle Ethics and Elections Commission. Archived from the original on June 21, 2021. Retrieved June 21, 2021.
  6. ^ "Richard Conlin campaign finance 2013". Seattle Ethics and Elections Commission. Archived from the original on June 21, 2021. Retrieved June 21, 2021.
  7. ^ "2015 election results". King County, Washington. November 3, 2015. p. 45. Archived from the original on February 14, 2021.
  8. ^ "Kshama Sawant campaign finance 2015". Seattle Ethics and Elections Commission. Archived from the original on June 21, 2021. Retrieved June 21, 2021.
  9. ^ "Pamela Banks campaign finance 2015". Seattle Ethics and Elections Commission. Archived from the original on June 21, 2021. Retrieved June 21, 2021.
  10. ^ "2019 election results" (PDF). King County, Washington. November 5, 2019. p. 32. Archived (PDF) from the original on January 4, 2020.
  11. ^ "Kshama Sawant campaign finance 2019". Seattle Ethics and Elections Commission. Archived from the original on June 21, 2021. Retrieved June 21, 2021.
  12. ^ "Egan Orion campaign finance 2019". Seattle Ethics and Elections Commission. Archived from the original on June 21, 2021. Retrieved June 21, 2021.
  13. ^ "Formal petition filed to recall Seattle City Councilwoman Kshama Sawant". KOMO-TV. August 18, 2020. Archived from the original on June 21, 2021. Retrieved June 21, 2021.
  14. ^ "Recall petition against Seattle City Councilmember Kshama Sawant can move forward, judge rules". The Seattle Times. September 16, 2020. Archived from the original on June 21, 2021. Retrieved June 21, 2021.
  15. ^ "Kshama Sawant recall campaign to begin collecting signatures". KIRO-TV. April 29, 2021. Archived from the original on December 10, 2021. Retrieved June 22, 2021.
  16. ^ a b c d "Effort to recall Seattle Councilmember Kshama Sawant leads in first vote count". The Seattle Times. December 7, 2021. Archived from the original on May 28, 2022.
  17. ^ "Seattle City Council votes to fund Kshama Sawant legal defense in recall effort". The Seattle Times. September 15, 2020. Archived from the original on June 21, 2021. Retrieved June 21, 2021.
  18. ^ "Sawant Will Appeal Judge's Decision to Certify Recall Petition". The Stranger. September 16, 2020. Archived from the original on June 21, 2021. Retrieved June 21, 2021.
  19. ^ "Supreme Court Rules the Recall Against Kshama Sawant Can Move Forward". The Stranger. April 1, 2021. Archived from the original on June 21, 2021. Retrieved June 21, 2021.
  20. ^ "Coalition of Seattle unions endorses Kshama Sawant recall effort". KIRO-TV. June 10, 2021. Archived from the original on June 21, 2021. Retrieved June 21, 2021.
  21. ^ "Kshama Sawant Solidarity organizers will collect recall signatures to force vote on Nov. ballot". Seattle Post-Intelligencer. July 9, 2021. Archived from the original on December 10, 2021. Retrieved December 10, 2021.
  22. ^ "Kshama Sawant supporters say they've collected enough signatures for November recall vote". KIRO-FM. July 27, 2021. Archived from the original on December 10, 2021. Retrieved December 10, 2021.
  23. ^ "Campaign accuses Sawant of 'co-opting process' by gathering signatures for her own recall". KIRO-FM. July 14, 2021. Archived from the original on December 10, 2021. Retrieved December 10, 2021.
  24. ^ a b "The Sawant recall election is relatively small but its audience is huge". Crosscut.com. November 29, 2021. Archived from the original on December 10, 2021. Retrieved December 10, 2021.
  25. ^ "New PAC forms amid bid to recall Kshama Sawant, petitions for release from spending limits". KIRO-FM. November 20, 2021. Archived from the original on December 11, 2021. Retrieved December 11, 2021.
  26. ^ "A recall Sawant PAC has been released from campaign contribution limit". KIRO-FM. November 26, 2021. Archived from the original on December 11, 2021. Retrieved December 11, 2021.
  27. ^ "Anti-Sawant PAC Enters the Recall Campaign with Some Familiar Donors". The Stranger. November 19, 2021. Archived from the original on December 11, 2021. Retrieved December 11, 2021.
  28. ^ a b "Seattle Will Have a Recall Election After All. How Will It Work?". Seattle Met. October 5, 2021. Archived from the original on December 10, 2021. Retrieved December 10, 2021.
  29. ^ "Kshama Sawant recall campaign turns in signatures, sets sights on winter vote". KIRO-FM. September 9, 2021. Archived from the original on December 10, 2021. Retrieved December 10, 2021.
  30. ^ "King County Elections Certifies Recall Petition for Seattle City Councilmember Kshama Sawant and Prepares for December Recall Election". King County Elections. September 30, 2021. Archived from the original on December 10, 2021. Retrieved December 10, 2021.
  31. ^ "Sawant recall campaign in full swing and Noam Chomsky has a bit role". Puget Sound Business Journal. November 18, 2021. Archived from the original on December 11, 2021. Retrieved December 11, 2021.
  32. ^ "King County Elections Mails Ballots for December Recall Election". King County Elections. November 17, 2021. Archived from the original on December 10, 2021. Retrieved December 10, 2021.
  33. ^ a b "2021 election results" (PDF). King County Elections. December 9, 2021. Archived (PDF) from the original on December 15, 2021. Retrieved December 10, 2021.
  34. ^ "Sawant recall wraps up with surprising turnout nearly on par with November general election". KIRO-FM. December 13, 2021. Archived from the original on December 14, 2021. Retrieved May 28, 2022.
  35. ^ "ABetterSeattle campaign finance". Seattle Ethics and Elections Commission. Archived from the original on December 10, 2021. Retrieved December 10, 2021.
  36. ^ "Kshama Solidarity Campaign campaign finance". Seattle Ethics and Elections Commission. Archived from the original on December 10, 2021. Retrieved June 21, 2021.
  37. ^ "Recall Sawant campaign finance". Seattle Ethics and Elections Commission. Archived from the original on December 10, 2021. Retrieved June 21, 2021.
  38. ^ "Kshama Solidarity: Rally to Reject The Recall". Seattle Democratic Socialists of America. January 9, 2021. Archived from the original on December 10, 2021. Retrieved December 10, 2021.
  39. ^ ""If Kshama Were a Man She'd Be Treated Differently": Democratic Women Defend Sawant". The Stranger. November 17, 2021. Archived from the original on December 10, 2021. Retrieved December 10, 2021.
  40. ^ a b c d e f g "Nearly $1M pours in from each side in Seattle Councilmember Sawant's recall". The Seattle Times. December 2, 2021. Archived from the original on December 3, 2021. Retrieved December 10, 2021.
  41. ^ "Defend Kshama Sawant, Seattle's elected socialist". Freedom Socialist Party. Archived from the original on December 10, 2021. Retrieved December 10, 2021.
  42. ^ "Defend Kshama Sawant". Freedom Socialist Party. Archived from the original on December 10, 2021. Retrieved December 10, 2021.
  43. ^ "Defend Kshama Sawant". Socialist Alternative. October 29, 2021. Archived from the original on December 10, 2021. Retrieved December 10, 2021.
  44. ^ "Seattle DSA Statement in Support of Council Member Kshama Sawant". Seattle Democratic Socialists of America. Archived from the original on June 21, 2021. Retrieved June 21, 2021.
  45. ^ "No choice but to recall Kshama Sawant". The Seattle Times. December 3, 2021. Archived from the original on December 4, 2021. Retrieved December 11, 2021.
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